Musical tone producing device

ABSTRACT

A vessel having an effective tone-producing air column includes an orifice toward which is angularly directed one end of an airconducting conduit, the other end of the conduit being capable of receiving air under pressure. By providing a plurality of such vessels, each tuned to emit a tone of predetermined frequency, and by connecting the vessels to conduits extending to corresponding openings in a common mouthpiece member, the user can play a tune by blowing into the appropriate mouthpiece openings. Tuning of the vessels is accomplished by adjusting the effective tone-producing air column therein, either by positioning an adjustable plunger member or by filling the vessel with liquid until the desired pitch is attained.

United States Patent Inventor Tadashi Funakoshi 5925 Maleville Ave., Carmichael, Calif. 95608 Appl. No. 833,616

Filed June 16, I969 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 MUSICAL TONE PRODUCING DEVICE 12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

2,197,773 4/1940 Rosenfield 84/377(UX) ABSTRACT: A vessel having an effective tone-producing air column includes an orifice toward which is angularly directed one end of an air-conducting conduit, the other end of the conduit being capable of receiving air under pressure. By providing a plurality of such vessels, each tuned to emit a tone of predetermined frequency, and by connecting the vessels to conduits extending to corresponding openings in a common mouthpiece member, the user can play a tune by blowing into the appropriate mouthpiece openings. Tuning of the vessels is accomplished by adjusting the-effective tone-producing air column therein, either by positioning an adjustable plunger member or by filling the vessel with liquid until the desired pitch is attained.

MUSICAL TONE PRODUCING DEVICE The invention relates to improvement in musical instruments of the vibrating air column variety.

With increasing frequency, glass-bottles of the No Deposit -No Returnvariety are being used as containers for liquids, such as beverages. For merchandising purposes, a plurality of these containers is often packaged as a unit, e.g. a six-pack or eight-pack, or in a case consisting of 24 bottles. In a sense, it is wasteful to discard these sturdy, indentical and often attractive glass bottles after buta single use.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an acoustical device which utilizes containers ordinarily thrown away after being emptied.

It is another object of the invention to provide a musical tone-producing device made from glass bottles, and the like, which can readily be put together and used, even by a child.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an acoustical device which is capable of producing tones of various pitches, thereby enabling the user to play a tune.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a musical device which has a hand-held member with openings therein, somewhat comparable in appearance and use to a harmonica, which can readily be manipulated and blown to play numerous notes in a musical sa scale.

It is another object of the device to provide a musical noteproducing instrument which is economical and reliable, yet which yields tones of a pleasing quality.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an acoustical device which lends itself to promotional merchandising in that the apparatus can be assembled from parts provided exclusively by the bottler of a particular beverage, for example.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide an acoustical device which lends itself particularly well to use with glass bottles, but which can also be used by appropriate adaption in conjunction with other containers, such as tin cans.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a generally improved musical tone-producing device.

Other objects, together with theforegoing, are attained in the embodiment described in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary front elevational view, with a portion of one of the bottles broken away to show a body of water therein which serves to define an air column determining the tone emitted by that particular bottle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, top perspective view, to an enlarged scale, of the mouthpiece and depending tubes, together with a sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of the tube-supporting structure on the bottle mouth;

Hi6. 3 is a top plan view of the tube-supporting structure as vie\ ed from the location indicated by the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of the mouthpiece and associated tube structure, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, to an enlarged scale, of the tone scale template to be held vertically on an element of the bottle to serve as a guide in filling the bottle with liquid; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a bottle showing a variant form of tuning art arrangement, namely, a plunger rod and disc (not shown in broken line) which can be raised or lowered, while blowing down the tube, to afford a desired tone.

While the acoustical device of the invention is susceptible of numerous physical embodiments, depending upon the environment and requirements of use, substantial numbers of the herein shown and described embodiments have been made, tested and used, and all have performed in an eminently satisfactory manner.

The musical tone producer of the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 12, comprises a conveniently sized and shaped mouthpiece 13, of a material such as plastic, formed with a plurality of beveled openings 14 on the upper end 16 thereof. The openings 14 lead into corresponding vertical passageways 17 extending downwardly through the mouthpiece; and lodged within each passageway, as by friction or by an adhesive, is a tube 18.

Then number of openings 14in the mouthpiece will vary depending upon the number of tones the user is desirous of playing. For small children perhaps four tones only would suffice, using the tones customarily found, for example, on a chorus leader's pitch pipe.

In other instance, a more sophisticated array is utilized, such as that shown in FIG. 2 wherein l3 openings are employed, corresponding to the notes of a full musical octave. indicia 21 are marked on the top 16 of the mouthpiece 13 to indicate the pitch of the adjacent one of the openings 14.

Thus, for example, the openings 14 can represent the successive notes in a musical scale commencing at the lower left (see FIG. 2) with middle C" thence progressing in a fashion somewhat comparable to the keyboard of a piano (white and black keys) to C-sharp, thence to D" thence to D-sharp" etc. ending at an upper-C and thereby completing the octave.

Air which is blown by the user into a preselected one of the openings 14 is conducted by the tube 18 to a corresponding one ofa plurality of tuned bottles 22 located at the lower end of the tube.

The bottle 22 is a of a conventional variety and includes a bottom 24, and sidewalls 25 forming a body portion 26 tapering upwardly to a neck 27. The neck 27 defines a throat 28 (see FIG. 2) terminating in a mouth 29 encompassed by an outwardly turned lip 31.

In order properly and securely to position the bottom end 33 of the tube 18 on the upper end of the bottle, a fitting 34. preferably formed of a plastic material, is provided.

The fitting 34 includes an annular portion 36, or ring, provided with an annular recess 37 to fit snugly over the lip 31 of the bottle. Upstanding from on side of the ring 36 is a flange 38 having formed therein, at an angle of approximately 30 a bore adapted to receive lower end 33 of the tube 18 (see FIG. 2) in frictional or adhesive engagement with the walls of the bore. A smaller counterbore 41 continues coaxially with respect to the tube end 33 and guides the fiow of air emerging from the tube against an arcuate-in-plan tongue member 42 overlying a portion of the bottle lip 31.

Upon emerging from the opening 44 at the lower end of the counterbore 41, the air impinges against the tongue 42 and is deflected thereby, a portion of the air then passing angularly downwardly through the circular central opening 46 in the ring 36 and reacting with the air column 51 within the bottle to effect a forced vibration of the air column, thereby generating a characteristic tone.

The physics of vibrations of air columns is well known and requires no detailed discussion. However, a brief reference to some of the principles is helpful to an understanding of the operation of the present device. Disturbances in air are propagated as condensations and rarefactions and when the medium is in the form ofa column within a rigid tube, or comparable confining member, such as a bottle, a disturbance produced at one end travels to the other end, is there reflected, travels back to the initial end, is reflected again, etc. Stationary waves are set up in the gaseous column and one or more nodal points are established within the bottle. An air column within a bottle can be placed in vibration by ajet of air impinging against the inner wall of the bottle in the region adjacent the bottle mouth. It is therefore possible, as is well known, to place ones lips at the mouth of an open bottle and by blowing, or puffing, with the proper force and at the proper direction, to cause the bottle to emit a tone, ordinarily of low pitch (frequency). Customarily, the frequency is a first harmonic, or fundamental mode of vibration, wherein the closed end of the member defining the air column becomes a node, the open end becomes an antinode, and the column length constitutes a quarter wave length.

In the event the vibration which is forced, or impressed, upon the air column is the same as the natural frequency of the aircolumn system, resonance occurs and the audible response is a maximum.

The foregoing principles make it possible to tune the individual bottles by appropriately establishing in each bottle an air column of the desired characteristics. Conveniently, a body of water 53 affording a free surface 54 (see FIG. 1) can be used to define an air column 51 which will vibrate at a desired frequency.

Each bottle will have a water level at a different height. For example, as appears most clearly in FIG. 1, the left-hand bottle has a water level 56 and the right-hand bottle has a water level 57.

The lower the liquid level, the longer the air column (wave length) and thus the lower the frequency, frequency of vibration being in inverse ratio to wave length.

If desired, the user could tune the bottles, one at a time, by blowing on the appropriate tube opening in the mouthpiece while water is slowly poured into the bottle and the desired key is placed on a nearby piano, for example. Tuning in this case would be effected by ear.

Owing to the fact, however, that in most instances the bottles 22 will be of substantially identical configurations, a template 61 can be used to great advantage (see FIG. A master template (not shown) would ordinarily be constructed under carefully regulated conditions. Then, using the master template as a basis, copies of the template can be produced to be furnished with each kit which would either be sold or given as a premium with the purchase of a certain quantity of the bottles product to which the template relates. Other components ofthe kit might be the mouthpiece 13 and the ring 34.

Customarily, the template member 61 comprises a vertically elongated strip 62, a sheet, of a plastic material, extending from a bottom 63 to a top 64, with one margin 65 which is linear, and an opposite margin 66 which is contoured to conform accurately with the profile of the bottle 22 with which it is to be used. A notch 67 at the upper end of the profile receives the lip 31 of the bottle as the template is held against a vertical element ofthe outer wall ofthe bottle.

While holding the template 61 vertically and against the bottle element, water can be poured into the bottle until the water level reaches a height corresponding to a marker line 71 extending horizontally from a musical note indicium 72.

By following the appropriate tubes 18 from the musical note indicia 21 on top ofthe mouthpiece 13, down to the respective bottles, and by filling the bottles to levels matching the corresponding indicia 72 on the template 61, all of the bottles can readily be tuned. 1

As will be noted by reference to FIG. 5, 24 separate indicia are indicated. This permits the user to tune up to 24 bottles, in which event two mouthpieces would ordinarily be utilized. The template 61, however, can be used for tuning a lesser number of bottles and, for' the most part, the full octave arrangement shown in FIG. 2 is considered adequate.

FIG. 6 illustrates a variant form of tuning mechanism 76 comprising a vertical rod 77 and finger hold 78 projecting downwardly into the bottle and terminating in a transverse disc 79 substantially spanning the interior walls of the bottle. Usually, the disc is of a semiflexible, or resilient, material which permits of the disc's being flexed sufficiently to pass down through the mouth and throat of the bottle, but which returns to its initial horizontal, planar shape after reaching the hollow interior of the bottle. By moving the tuner 76 upwardly or downwardly, as indicated by the arrows 81, the tone emitted by the bottle can be varied, as desired.

The principle of operation of the variable tuner 76 is that the transverse disc 79 acts as the virtual bottom end, or closed end, of the air column superimposed thereon. Thus, by shifting the disc upwardly or downwardly, while blowing through the tube 18, the standing wavelength is varied. A tune can therefore be played, if desired, using but a single bottle and coordinating the puffs of air with vertical movement of the rod. If desired, the rod can be marked with musical-note-indicating indicia to facilitate use of the device. It would also be possible, using a plurality of bottles 22 and tuners 76 to achieve the same effect as the bottles having a variety of water levels therein by vertically locating the respective rods at the appropriate locations, as by any suitable positioning device.

It can therefore by seen that l have provided a highly versatile, amusing and instructional device of a musical nature.

lclaim:

1. An acoustical device comprising:

a. a plurality of elongated bottles each including a body, a

neck and a mouth;

b. a plurality of tubes each connected one one end to the top of said neck at a predetermined position relative to said mouth of a respective one of said bottles, the other end of said tube being arranged to receive air under above-atmospheric pressure;

. means for selectively varying the air-column length within each of said bottles to establish sound waves of a predetermined wavelength within said air column resulting from the impingement ofajet of air emitted from one end of the respective one of said tubes against said mouth of said bottle at the upper end of said air column, said aircolumn length varying means comprising a body of fluid introduced into each of said bottles in an amount such as to establish an air column having a predetermined frequency of vibration, said air column being measured between said bottle mouth and the free surface of said body of liquid, the fluid level in each of said bottles being different and being such that the pitches of the tones emitted by said bottles are tuned to a predetermined musical scale; and

e. a mouthpiece including a plurality of openings each on connecting to one of said other ends of said tubes.

2. An acoustical device as in claim 1 wherein each of said mouthpiece openings is characterized by an adjacent musical note indicium corresponding to the musical tone emitted by the respective one of said bottles connected thereto.

3. An acoustical device as in claim 2 wherein said mouthpiece is of a shape conveniently held by the ushers hand, and wherein said mouthpiece openings are arranged for convenient individual access to the player's lips.

4. An acoustical device comprising:

a. an elongated vessel including a body closed at one end by a fixed closure and having an opening at the other end;

b. a fitting attached to said other end of said vessel adjacent said openings, said fitting being capable of directing air across said opening in a predetermined direction;

c. a tube connected at one end to said fitting, the other end of said tube being arranged to receive air under above-atmospheric pressure; and

means for selectively varying the air-column length within said vessel to establish sound waves of a predetermined wave length within said air column resulting from the movement of a jet of air passing from said one end of said tube through said fitting and across said opening in said predetermined direction.

5. An acoustical device as in claim 4 wherein said opening is defined by a circular mouth encompassed by an outwardly turned lip and wherein said fitting includes an annular portion provided with an annular recess to fit snugly over said lip, said fitting also including a bored flange to receive one end of said tube.

6. An acoustical device as in claim 4 wherein said aircolumn length varying means comprises a body of liquid introduced into said elongated vessel in an amount such as to establish, with said vessel in vertical attitude, and air column having a predetermined frequency of vibration, said air column being measured between said opening and the free surface of said body of liquid.

7. An acoustical device as in claim 4 wherein said aircolumn length varying means comprises a plunger including a rod arranged substantially coaxially with said vessel, with one end of said rod in said vessel and the other end projecting from said opening; and a disc mounted transversely on said one end of said rod, said disc substantially spanning the interior walls of said vessel to afford a closed lower end of said air column, axial movement of said rod being effective to vary the length of said air column.

8. An acoustical device as in claim 7 wherein said rod is provided with indicia serving to indicate the tone pitch emitted in dependence upon the positioning of said plunger-relative to said vessel. 1

9. An acoustical device as in claim 4 comprising a plurality of said vessels and said tubes, and where in the fluid level in each of said vessels is different.

10. An acoustical device as in claim 9 wherein said vessels are bottles of substantially identical configuration and including a tone template member having one margin shaped to conform accurately with the profiles of said bottles. said template including indicia serving to indicate the fluid level to be established in each of said bottles to afford the desired tone pitch to be emitted thereby.

11. An acoustical device as in claim 9 wherein the fluid levels in said vessels are such that the pitches of the tones emitted by said vessels are tuned to'a predetermined musical scale.

12. An acoustical device as in claim ll including a mouthpiece provided with a plurality of apertures each connecting to one of said other ends of said but tubes. 

1. An acoustical device comprising: a. a plurality of elongated bottles each including a body, a neck and a mouth; b. a plurality of tubes each connected one one end to the top of said neck at a predetermined position relative to said mouth of a respective one of said bottles, the other end of said tube being arranged to receive air under above-atmospheric pressure; c. means for selectively varying the air-column length within each of said bottles to establish sound waves of a predetermined wavelength within said air column resulting from the impingement of a jet of air emitted from one end of the respective one of said tubes against said mouth of said bottle at the upper end of said air column, said air-column length varying means comprising a body of fluid introduced into each of said bottles in an amount such as to establish an air column having a predetermined frequency of vibration, said air column being measured between said bottle mouth and the free surface of said body of liquid, the fluid level in each of said bottles being different and being such that the pitches of the tones emitted by said bottles are tuned to a predetermined musical scale; and e. a mouthpiece including a plurality of openings each on connecting to one of said other ends of said tubes.
 2. An acoustical device as in claim 1 wherein each of said mouthpiece openings is characterized by an adjacent musical note indicium corresponding to the musical tone emitted by the respective one of said bottles connected thereto.
 3. An acoustical device as in claim 2 wherein said mouthpiece is of a shape conveniently held by the usher''s hand, and wherein said mouthpiece openings are arranged for convenient individual access to the player''s lips.
 4. An acoustical device comprising: a. an elongated vessel including a body closed at one end by a fixed closure and having an opening at the other end; b. a fitting attached to said other end of said vessel adjacent said openings, said fitting being capable of directing air across said opening in a predetermined direction; c. a tube connected at one end to said fitting, the other end of said tube being arranged to receive air under above-atmospheric pressure; and means for selectively varying the air-column length within said vessel to establish sound waves of a predetermined wave length within said air column resulting from the movement of a jet of air passing from said one end of said tube through said fitting and across said opening in said predetermined direction.
 5. An acoustical device as in claim 4 wherein said opening is defined by a circular mouth encompassed by an outwardly turned lip and wherein said fitting includes an annular portion provided with an annular recess to fit snugly over said lip, said fitting also including a bored flange to receive one end of said tube.
 6. An acoustical device as in claim 4 wherein said air-column length varying means comprises a body of liquid introduced into said elongated vessel in an amount such as to establish, with said vessel in vertical attitude, and air column having a predetermined frequency of vibration, said air column being measured between said opening and the free surface of said body of liquid.
 7. An acoustical device as in claim 4 wherein said air-column length varying means comprises a plunger including a rod arranged substantially coaxially with said vessel, with one end of said rod in said vessel and the other end projecting from said opening; and a disc mounted transversely on said one end of said rod, said disc substantially spanning the interior walls of said vessel to afford a closed lower end of said air column, axial movement of said rod being effective to vary the length of said air column.
 8. An acoustical device as in claim 7 wherein said rod is provided with indicia serving to indicate the tone pitch emitted in dependence upon the positioning of said plunger relative to said vessel.
 9. An acoustical device as in claim 4 comprising a plurality of said vessels and said tubes, and where in the fluid level in each of said vessels is different.
 10. An acoustical device as in claim 9 wherein said vessels are bottles of substantially identical configuration and including a tone template member having one margin shaped to conform accurately with the profiles of said bottles, said template including indicia serving to indicate the fluid level to be established in each of said bottles to afford the desired tone pitch to be emitted thereby.
 11. An acoustical device as in claim 9 wherein the fluid levels in said vessels are such that the pitches of the tones emitted by said vessels are tuned to a predetermined musical scale.
 12. An acoustical device as in claim 11 including a mouthpiece provided with a plurality of apertures each connecting to one of said other ends of said but tubes. 